Compartment can for packaging foods



March M193?. E HOLOUBEK 2,073,636

COMPARTMENT CAN FOR PACKAGING FOODS Filed Sept. l, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 1s, 1937. E. HOLUBEK 2,073,636

COMPARTMENT CANFOR PACKAGING FOICIDS Filed Sept. 1, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 '\l \1 ff Ll'.

J @yf Kamm Hauben March 16, 193?, E. HoLoUBEK 2,07336 COMPARTMENT CAN FOR PACKAGING FOODS Filed Sept. l', 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 gmc/who@ fd word )'(oloub ek,

`Patented Mar. -16, 1937 Edward nolanbek, may, Mom.v Application september 1, penserai No. nasca v 1 claim. (c1.- zzo-2o)- This invention 'relates to certain new and useful improvements in compartment cans for packaging foods.v

The primary object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide a compartment can for the `packaging-of foods wherein different foods may be assembled in a compartment can to constitute a complete dinner or meal vand if desired, the can'and its contents may be heated and a hot meal served when the can isopened.

A further object of the invention is to provide a compartment can of the foregoing character having partitions therein to form the compartments that are non-communicative with a side of the can iiattened in the lengthwise direction thereof and weakened at the parallel edges of the flattened portion whereby the latter may be severed from the can body by asuitable key to successively expose the compartments' of the can' 2Q for access to the compartments.4 f A further object of the invention is to provide a compartnent can wherein the several compartments are retained in assembled relation by a sealing or tie wire or the like and separable at the partitions thereof to permit access to each compartment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide acompartment can for packaging foods,y wherein partitions in the can to form the com` partments extend into annular seam portions at adjacent ends oi. the compartment with the* seam portions bent into L-formationA so that the. can may be annularly severed adjacent a seam Vto obtain access'to aselected'compartment.

A With the above and otherobjects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of. parts hereinafter more fully describedfshown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In` the drawingsz- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a compartment can for packaging foods4 constructed in accordance with the present invention, Ishowing a iiattened.4 side partially opened Vand exposing a compartment of the car;

Figure 2 is a-detail sectional Vievmjinperspec? tive.' showing the engagement of the marginal edge of a partition with the can wall;

,Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the sealed engagement between a, partition and can wall;'

Flgurell -is a perspective view of another form of compartment can wherein the. several separable sections or' compartments ofthe can are retained 'in assembled can formation by tie wires or the like;

Figure 5 isaI fragmentary perspective view, in section, showing the tie wire for the can sections or compartments and the` seams are joinedbe' 5 tween the sections or compartments of the can;

Figure 6 isa detail sectional View showing a partition, sealing gasket and Vadjacent edges `oi! two can compartments, all in spaced' relation;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view, similar to 10 Figure 6, showing the partsin sealing engage\l ment with .each other;

Figure 8 is a perspective view oi a compartment can with a. joint or seam betweenadjacent sections that is L-shaped in formation; r 15 Figure 9 fragmentarily illustrates in perspective and section la partition and adjacent end of a can section with themating flanges on the parl tition and'can;

Figure 10- is a fragmentary side elevational view, a partly in section oi' the can shown in Figure 8, illustrating the 'steps of assembling the partition and can anges to form the seam'between the compartments;

Figure v11 isan enlarged detail sectional `view 2t of the can seam in its initially assembled relation;

, Figure 12 is an enlarged detail sectional view,' similarxto Figure 11 with the partition and can flanges partially compressed together;

Figure 13 is an enlarged detail sectional view,

similar toFigures ll and 12 showing the'com- Y pleted seams between the `sections or compartments of the can; Y,

Figure 14 is a fragmentary perspective view in section of another form of partition and can seam 35 between each compartment;

Figure 15 is a'fragmentary perspective viewor the partition shown in Figure 14;

Figure 161s adetail sectional view showing .the sealed -nr soldered connection between the sec- 40 tions lof thel can and partition of Figure 14; Figure 171s a detailsectional view ofanoth'er I 'forni of can seam between lthe compartments with a partition -at the seam and illustrating the initial M assembly of the parts;

Figure 1s isa detail sectional view, similar-m Figure 1'1 of the seam shown in Figure 17 with the seam' of L-formation with the partition clamped at its marginal edge between iianges on the can so.

sections;

Figure 19 is adetail sectional view of another form oi' can seam with partitions in its initial assembly relation; l

Figure 2o is a detain sectional view showing the 55 can section flanges compressed into engagement with the marginal edge ofthe partition;

Figure 21 is a' detail sectional view of th'e completed L-shaped seam and illustrating one ange of a can section engaged with thel partition at one side and extended to be positioned between the partition and other can section flange; v

Figure 22 is a side elevational View, partly in section of another form of compartment can, the upper seam indicating the initial assembly and the lower seam indicating the complete assembly with the seam of L-formation;

Figure 23 is a sectional view of the partition of Figure' 22 in its initial position; and

e Figure 24 is a sectional View of the partition shown in Figure 22 in its completed extended form, but detached from the can.

In each of the several forms of the invention disclosed herein, the can is either of the sectional type with partitions -anchored at their marginal edges in the` seams between the sections or the partitions are anchored in the can so that the compartments formed thereby are non-commu- `-nicative so that foods of diierent kinds maybe placed in the desired compartment to comprise, if-desired, a complete dinner or meal. -The, entire can may be heated 'before opening for the serving of a hot meal, or access maybe obtained to the desired compartment and an important feature of the sectional/can is the L-shaped seam between the compartment which lends itself to an vappropriate opening device for accessto Athe desired compartment, the other compartments remaininghermetically sealed.

Referringmore in detail tp the accompanying drawings, and particularly to ,Figures 1 to 3, there is illustrated a compartment can for packaging foods which comprises a cylindrical body wall 25 provided with closed end Walls 26 and 21 with diametrically opposite sides ofthe cylindrical wall 25 ilattened in longitudinal directions as at 28, the marginal edges ofthe flattened section 28having weakened opening or tear lines 29. One side fiat portion 28 of the can is extended over the t'op 26 in the form of a tongue 3|! shown by dotted lines for attachment to an opening key 31 whilethe iiattened portion 28 at the opposite-side of the can carriesa tongue extension 30a that extendsV over the'bottom wall 21 of the can as shown by' dotted lines in Figure 1. With thisarrangement,

either end compartment of the can 25 may be' opened and intermediate compartmentW or coinpartments remained in a hermetically sealed condition. Access may` behad to all of the compartments bythe opening of one of the flattened sides 28 for'the' entire length ofthe can 25.

c A series of plate or diskpartitions 32 are placed in the can 25 in the-order of lling the can with `food andthe' margin'a1 edges ofA me partinns ai` are sealed Jto the inner face of the can wall 25 to exclude communication between ,the several compartments of the can. As shown `more clearly in `Figures 2 and 3, an annular channel member 33 openingat the outer sideand integral with the partition' 32 carriesv ah rnpressible gasket ,34 in the'hcljiannelportion t ereof that has intimate contact-with the inner face of .thecanbody 25, this` channelmember and gasket being -moved downwardly over the inner wall of the the partition 32`as`illustrated. To obtain access to the can, the Vkey3| engaged with the tongue 3|) ofthe attened sidewall section 28 is rolled to roll the 'iiattened side wall section" thereon and tear the same from the, can body at the weakened lines 29, the roller portion. of .the can being illuscan with by packing elements with the several sectionsmaintained in assembled can formation by means of a tie wire or the like that may be soldered or otherwise anchored in position. While the can in this form of the invention and in other forms disclosed herein is illustrated as being of the three-sectional type, it is to be understood that the can may embody as many sections or compartments as desired. The c an 36 is illustrated as comprising an intermediate section 31 and end sections 38, the latter being provided with outer end walls 39.- j'he joint or tting between adiacent ends of the sections 31 and 38 is shown more clearly 'in Figs. 5 to 7. 'I'he compartment can 36,

is of cylindrical, formation vand the lower edge of the upper section 38 carries an inwardly directed annular ilange 4|). A partition 4| has an upstanding annular wall 42 adjacent its peripheral edgewith the upper end of the annular vwall flanged outwardly in a. horizontal plane as at gasket 41 oi.' ring formationis interposed between' the anges 48 and 45 of the can sections 38 and 31 respectively andwhen the two can sections are moved toward each other as shown in Figure 7, the sealing gasket 41 vis pressed and moved into intimate contact with the wall flanges 40 and 45 as well as the upstanding wall 42 upon the partition 4| and the shouldered portion 46 upon .the ange 45 that bites into the sealing gasket as shown in Figure 7. The coniection between the lower edge of the intermediate section 31 and the upper edge of the loweri'section 38 is identical withsthe connection or seam shown in Figures and 7 and it Willnbe ,observed that the compartments formed by the partitions 4| are entirely, non-communicative vso that different kinds oi.' foods may be placed in the desired compartments. With the can sections 31 and 38 assembled, as described, they are held in such position by a tie wire comprising a base portion 48 under# lying the lower end of the can 36 and upstanding side legs 49 that .are bent inwardly at their of the can,` the tie wire'being soldered or otherwise secured to the assembled can section. To

. obtain access to the compartments of the sections `31 and 38, it is-only lnecessary to remove the tie wire from the can 'and the sections may be readily removed, the interfltting engagement` f the upper partition/4| with'the lower edge of the can section 38 providing a bottom wall ior, said upper can section and the lower parti-- tion 4| provides a bottom wall for the intermediate can section 31.

Inthe form of the invention shown in Figures 8 to 13, the can 5| is formed ofthree sections 52 joined together at their adjacent ends by a seam in which the marginal edge of a partition is embedded, the outer end sections having Aclosed end walls 53. The adacent'ends of the can sections 52 are provided with outwardly directed annular flanges that are Vof zig-mg or double V-fox'mation in cross-section as shown at M in Figures 9 to 12 and the partition l5 interposed between adjacent ends ofl two sections is provided with a similarly formed annular flange It that has mating engagement with the two iianges M. Figure 9 illustrates a can section end -and an .as-

sociated partition, while Figure `10 illustrates the titionsealed in the soldered seam 51. An ap-l propriate construction of vcan opener maybe employed and move over .the L-shaped seam 51 as a guide for severing one section or compartment of the can from the rest of the can and access to the several compartments of the can 'is obtained by annularly severing the sidewall of any desired section.

In the form of invention shown in Figures 14 to 16, the can is formed' of sections .58 with the adjacent edges-of the can sections associated with a partition 58 in the form of a plate or disk that carries a depending annular skirt 60 that is annularly grooved inwardly as at 6l. As show n in Figure 16, the skirt SII at opposite sides of the groove 6I slightly bulge outwardly to provide a more intimate contact lwith the inner faces of the adjacent ends. of the can sections 58. A

. relatively thin layer of solder or other sealing material 62 hermetically seals the adjacent ends of the can sections to the annular skirt 60 of the partition wall 59. To open the can for access to the compartment, the annular skirt GII is severed through the channel portion 6I thereofand the partition 1wall 59 constitutes a bottom wall for the superposed section .or compartment of the' can. It is to be understood that the can may be formed of any number of sectionsor compartments desired.

Another form of can -seam in a compartment can with the marginal edg'e of the partition embedded in theseam is illustrated in Figures 17 and' 18, the adjacent ends of the can sections 63 and respectively carrying intertting anges 65 and 6B V-shaped in cross-section, the ange B5 being located at the inner side and receiving irlits apex a marginal edgeof the partition 61. The anges and 66 with thevmarginal edge of the partition are moved into L-formation as shown at 68 in Figure 18 with .the marglnal edgeo the partition being directly engagedwith the ilanges 65 andj, the flange 86 being bent upwardly, inwardly and downwardly'at 66a to enclose the outwardly and. downwardly bent flange 65 of the upper section 63 of the can.

The can seam shown in Figures 19 to 21 is similar to the can seam shown'lin Figures 17 and 18 with. the can sections 63a and 64a carrying at their adjacent ends flanges 69 and 10 that are V-shaped in cross-section with the marginal redge of the partition 'Ii extending into the apex of the inwardly positioned V-shaped flangel 60. Figure 20 shows the initial compression imparted to the inter-ntting flanges and .marginal edge of the partition and Figure 21 shows the flanges bent`into L-formation as at 12. it being noted that the vflange 89 engaged with the upper side of the partition v'Il and is extended around the.

vwall of one piece construction that is annularly .bulged outwardly as at 15 at spaced points for the reception of partitions 16 that has a marginal upstanding bead 11 and a depending skirt 1l. The sections of the can formed by the bulged portions 15 may be of slightly less diameter in a downward'direction to cause the lower edge of A the skirt 'I8 of the partition 1i to enter the bulged portion and be prevented from further downward movement. 'Ihe subsequent compression of the side walls of the bulged P0rtion 25 causing the skirt 18 to be moved outwardly into the bulged portionto assume the positions shown in Figure24 and at the lower partition in Figure 22, the bulged portion I6 then being moved into L-formation in cross-section as shown at 15a to facilitate guiding. movement of a can opener employed therewith. Y

In each form of the inventiondisclosed herein, the partitions provide non-communicating compartments so that foods of different kinds to constitute a complete dinner or meal may be carried in a single can. -It is also possible to obtain access to any onevof the compartments of the can Awith the remaining compartments remaining in a hermetically sealed condition and while there-are herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes -may be made therein without. departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

`In a compartment can for packagingfoods,

a .tubular can body having diametrically oppo- .site curved walls and intervening flattened wall portions extending longitudinally of the can, par# titions in the can body dividing the same into non-communicating compartments, the marginal edges of the partitions having sealing engage- -ment with the can body and relatively' shiftable in the can body ,for varying the relative areas of the compartments, a weakened tearing line at each point of mergence of ilattened and curved wall portions of the, n and a tongue extension on opposite ends oij the respective flatte'ned portions normally extending over the adjacent end of the can whereby a key may be employed for tearing and rolling a flattened portion from either end of the can'v for exposure/.of the compartment.

.EDWARD HQLDUBEK. 

